AtmosPure: Where Innovation Meets Purity

1. What Inspired Me

The idea for AtmosPure started while I was exploring environmental problems for the Oxford Climate Change Challenge. I came across the urban heat island effect, which caught my attention because, coming from the UAE, rapid urbanisation and extreme heat are issues I have seen firsthand.

This made me explore how cities could improve air quality and sustainability when traditional greenery is not always practical.

The question that eventually shaped the project was:

What can we do when planting a tree is not possible?

That became the foundation of AtmosPure:

When planting is impossible, purifying is.

2. What AtmosPure Does

AtmosPure is a proposed urban air-purification and sustainability system designed for compact urban environments.

The main features include:

Seaweed-based purification for efficient CO₂ absorption and natural water purification
Recycled-glass cylindrical containers for durability, corrosion resistance, and efficient use of space
Cooling bricks to help reduce the effects of urban heat
An automated water-recycling system to reduce water wastage and maintenance
Potential integration of carbon and health impact measurements

The overall goal is to combine air purification, carbon reduction, water efficiency, and urban cooling within a compact system.

A more detailed explanation of the system is provided in the attached video.

3. How I Built It

I started with a low-fidelity prototype using simple and easily available materials.

A plastic container was used to represent the recycled-glass structure, toy bricks were used to simulate the cooling bricks, and aluminium foil and other basic materials were used to represent the wiring and surrounding infrastructure.

The prototype was not intended to demonstrate the final technical performance of AtmosPure. Instead, it helped me visualise the concept, understand its spatial requirements, and communicate how it could look in a real urban environment.

Starting with a low-fidelity prototype also allowed me to make changes quickly without investing heavily in materials at an early stage.

4. Challenges I Faced

One of the main challenges was deciding which biological system and materials would be most suitable for the project. I had to explore different algae-based approaches while considering factors such as sustainability, efficiency, durability, and maintenance.

Another major challenge was understanding what people actually wanted from a solution like this.

Through empathy-led interviews, I found that people strongly value natural greenery and genuine environmental impact. There was also some scepticism towards solutions that appear sustainable but do not have a meaningful impact.

This helped shape an important part of AtmosPure's direction:

The goal is not to replace nature, but to complement it where nature alone may not be enough.

5. What I Am Proud Of

I am most proud of how the idea developed through the design-thinking process.

What initially started as an exploration of urban heat eventually became a more complete concept supported by:

Empathy-led interviews
User personas
Affinity mapping
Prototyping
Cost analysis
Impact analysis
Competitor research
A Lean Canvas

Having these different components made AtmosPure feel much more grounded than just a theoretical idea. I was able to consider not only what the product could do, but also who would use it, how it could be deployed, what it could cost, and what kind of impact it could create.

6. What I Learned

The biggest thing I learned was the importance of the human perspective.

It is easy to focus on the science or technology behind a solution, but an innovation also needs to be practical and something that people actually want.

My research showed me that innovation does not always mean replacing existing natural solutions. Sometimes, it means identifying where technology can work alongside them.

This changed the way I looked at AtmosPure and helped me focus more on practical implementation rather than just technical possibilities.

7. What's Next for AtmosPure?

The next step is to move beyond the low-fidelity prototype and test AtmosPure in a real-world setting.

I would like to develop a functional prototype and compare its performance with existing Liquid Tree and aquatic purification models.

The key areas I would evaluate are:

CO₂ absorption
Air quality
Water efficiency
Cooling performance
Maintenance requirements
Cost

This would help determine whether AtmosPure can provide measurable advantages rather than simply being a promising concept.

Ultimately, the goal is to test, improve, and eventually deploy AtmosPure in the urban spaces where it can have the greatest impact.